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Every few years it is the “specialized high school exam”, again….Oh please stop it……

I am so sick of this conversation, and I am Black; I can only imagine how sick my White and Asian Brothers and Sisters must be. In the profession of education, we like to do things (the same things); the same failed things, over, and over again. Its our definition of progress!
There is nothing wrong with Black and Latino children’s brains; that a good and effective education can’t inspire. It’s just that We don’t have the political will, or courage to make that happen. And so why not just say that, and not waste everyone’s time with this annual side-show distraction. I know that I am not on the same page as a lot of my former colleagues; but I find it insulting that people believe that the problem is the “test”; and not he fact that we don’t know if the test is a problem, when most children of color are provided with an inferior (both formal and informal) education, that does not cover the standards tested on the exam. It is really that simple. Do Black and Latino New Yorkers (I really hope not) believe that their children are equally prepared to take the exam; and then through some “test-day trickery”, their children don’t score high enough to gain entrance to a specialized high school? I would think that if parents were offered the choice that is not really being offered here: (1) Make the test “easier” (2) Make your children smarter; I think they would overwhelmingly chose #2!
And now this:

“Teachers union boss going after racial disparity at top high schools”

“Teachers union president Michael Mulgrew has dispatched union members to a joint task force with the city to move away from the use of a single test for admissions. He says the city’s proposed changes won’t do enough to combat lopsided enrollment at elite schools, where very few kids are black or Hispanic.” NY Daily News

We need an hypocrisy warning/disclaimer before one of these press conferences. If they really want to do something about racial disparity; they can (1) start by allowing the dispatching of the “Rubber room” residents to the termination room. (2) Allow for Black and Latino students to have access to the best teachers without any contractual barriers. And then you can hold a press conference…..